Collapsible go-cart.



G. B. MERCER- COLLAPSIBLE GO-GART.

APPLICATION rum) NOV. 21, 191

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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0. B. MERGER.

GOLLAPSIBLE GO-OART.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 21, 1912.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

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CHARLES B. MERCER, OF WEST PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

COLLAPSIBLE GO-CART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Application filed November 21, 1912. Serial No. 732,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. Mnncnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vest Pittston, in the county of Luzerne and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in CollapsibleGo-Carts, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates generally to an improvement in baby carriages,go-carts or similar vehicles and particularly to means whereby suchvehicle may be readily and conveniently converted from a wheeled vehicleto a runner vehicle, permitting in the use of the carriage or go-carteither the runners or wheels as a support.

I The main object of the present invention is the provision of runnersconstructed and arranged for convenient connection to the ordinary typeof go-cart or similar wheeled vehicle, and the provision of means foroperating the runners to project them into a plane below the plane ofthe wheels or to permit their elevation into a plane above the wheelplane.

The invention in the preferred form of details will be described in thefollowing specification, reference being had particularly to theaccompanying drawings, 1n which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the 11nproved combined sleigh andgo-cart, showing the same in use as a go-cart. Fig. 2 1s a similar viewshowing same in use as a sleigh. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one sideframe of the vehicle illustrating particularly the operating means forthe runner. Fig. 4 is a'perspective view of the runner detached. Fig. 5is a perspective view of the operating bar of the runner.

lVhile I have shown and will describe the present improvement asdesigned particularly for cooperation with a folding type of go-cart, itis to be understood that the invention is in no wise limited to suchapplication, but may be incorporated with equal efficiency and facilityand with such mechanical changes of details as may be necessary and inany preferred or usual type of go cart, baby carriage, or similarwheeled vehicle.

In the application of the invention to a folding type of go-cartillustrated, it will be noted, from the accompanying drawing, that themain frame bar 1 which is designed to support the stub axles 2 for thewheels 3,

and is of U-shape for pivotal connection to the upper frame at, as at 5,whereby to provide for folding the wheels beneath the upper frame, isdesigned ,to provide the support for the entire improved structure. Eachmain frame bar 1 is provided at each end adjacent the juncture of thehorizontal and normally vertical portions of said bar with frame strips6 of approximately L form with their terminals connected to thehorizontal and vertical portions of the main frame bar and forming whenconnected what may be termed approximately rectangular frame housings 7.

The runner proper comprises a single rod like section formed to providea substantially straight runner section or hearing length 8 having theends projected upwardly in substantially rounded form at 9, and extendedabove the terminals of the rounded ends in straight bearing sections 10,the latter being substantially at right angles to the bearing sections8. The bearing sections 10 are designed to pass loosely through openings11 formed in the respective horizontal or longitudinally extendingportions of the frame housing 7, the bearing sections 10 being freelyslidable through openings 11 and under which sliding movement therunners proper are moved in a vertical plane in parallel relation to theplane of the side wheels of the vehicle.

Intermediate the longitudinal sections of the frame housing 7 there isarranged a coil spring 12 bearing at one end against the normally lowerwall of the housing and at its upper end against a pin 13, secured inthe bearing section 10, the springs being tensioned to normally hold therunners elevated, that is with their hearing portions in a plane abovethe bearing point of the wheeled peripheries.

Mounted for sliding longitudinal movecent the upper ends of the bearingportions 10 of the runner are wedge plates 15, having their lower edgesformed throughout their forward portions to provide downwardly andrearwardlyinclined portions 16 and theremaining portions of such edgesnected at its lower end to the horizontal portion of each frame bar andprovided at its upper end with operating knob or handle, said leverintermediate its ends'being connected by a pin and slot connection 19 tothe operating bar 14.

In operation with the operating bar-withdrawn to its limited rearwardmovement, it will be obvious that the springs 12 will serve to hold therunners normally elevated above the ground contacting point of thewheels, so that said wheels will serve as supporting medium for thego-cart, or in other words, the latter will be of the usual wheeledtype. On proper operation of the levers 18, the operating bar will bemoved in forward direction, the inclined edges of the wedge platesengaging the bearing portions 10 with the effect to gradually force samedownwardly to expose the main length of the runner below the operatingplane of the wheels, the continued movement of the operating bar causingthe relatively horizontal portion of the wedge plate to engage the upperends of the hearing portions of the runners and thus secure 7 therunners in lowered position. The wheels are then above ground contactingposition and the go-cart or the like is supported on the runners for useas a sleigh or the like. The lever 18 is so mounted that in the normalor inoperative position of the runners the pivoted end of the lever isin advance of the pivotal connection of the lever and.

operating bar, while on the depressed or operative position of therunners said piv otal connection of the lever is in rear of theconnection between said lever and operating bar, the longitudinalmovement of the operating bar providing this arrangement. Under thesecircumstances, the weight of the go-cart and occupant will tend tomaintain the runner in its operative position, as will be obvious. Therunners may be returned to normal or inoperative position by the reversemovement of the handle ends of the levers.

By connecting the runners and operating bars in the main frame bar ofthe running gear of the vehicle, it is obvious that the gocart may bereadily folded in the usual manner without such operation being in anyway interfered with by the improved construction.

The improved go-cart or the like may through the medium of theconstruction described be readily and simply converted from a wheeledvehicle to a runner, ve hicle, thereby providing in efiect a wheeledgo-cart and runner go-cart in one vehicle, by the provision of few partswithout complication and requiring only the operation of two levers foreffecting the change from one type of vehicle to the other.

What is claimed is:

1. A go-cart or the like including a wheel carrying frame bar, a runnerhaving sections slidably mounted in said bar, an operating bar slidablymounted and operative longitudinally in the frame bar and engaging thesections, wedge plates carried by the operating bar to engage thesections, and said wedge plates having their operating edges inclined inpart and approximately horizontal in part. i

2. A go-cart or the like including a wheel carrying frame bar, a runnerhaving sect-ions slidably mounted in said bar, an operating bar slidablymounted and operative longitudinally in the frame bar and'engaging thesections, wedge plates carried by the operating bar to engage thesections, said wedge plates having their operating edges inclined inpart and approximately horizontal in part, the upper ends of the runnersections being slotted to receive the operat ing edges of the wedgeplates.

3. A go-cart or the like including a wheel carrying frame bar, a runnerhaving sections slidably mounted in said bar, an operating bar slidablymounted in the frame bar and engaging the sections, wedge plates carriedby the operating bar to engage the sections, said wedge plates havingtheir operating edges inclined in part and approximately horizontal inpart, the upper ends of the runner sections being slotted to receive theoperating edges of the wedge plates, and handle levers for actuatingsaid'operating bar.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. MERCER.

lVitnesses H. E. GRIER, L. J. Connors.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G.

